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The Donnie Project: Rowan University Students Working On Unsolved Murder Case

By Robin Rieger

GLASSBORO, N.J. (CBS) -- Nineteen-year-old Donald Farrell was a sophomore at Rowan University when he was attacked on campus October 27, 2007.

Police say he was robbed and fatally beaten by a man seen on surveillance video in a nearby convenience store. Despite the video, an investigation and a $100,000 reward, the case remains unsolved.

"There's a killer out there, walking free," said Amy Quinn.

Quinn is an adjunct professor at Rowan University and this fall, she gave her journalism students a special assignment.

"Tell me a story about Donald Farrell," she said she told them.

Students wrote articles for a website they created called thedonnieproject.com. They interviewed Farrell's family, friends and investigators in an effort to generate new leads.

"I ran it like a newsroom, where I gave them assignments and they were doing reporting and we were self-editing", says Quinn.

Kathy Farrell told Eyewitness News by phone she was proud of the students' work.

"They took on a really big task, and did an excellent, very professional job. It was hard on them and it was hard on us", said Farrell, Donald's mother.

She says everyday is still a struggle.

"He was my beautiful boy and he was the light of my life."

Mrs. Farrell says she hopes the website touches the right person.

"Somebody has to have a heart somewhere to say the guy has to be turned in."

Anyone with information is asked to visit thedonnieproject.com for information about the investigation.

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